I am a 63-year-old man and my wife is 56. The skin around my wife’s vaginal opening is sensitive. It hurts her when we have sex. Please suggest an ointment.

At her age, the cells making up the passage thin out. Hence, she experiences pain. If you are in a hurry, she may not have lubricated enough. So, you have to give more time to foreplay. Use oil or Lubic gel for lubrication. If the pain persists, get a tube of Lox gel 2%. She should apply a little in and around the vaginal opening. Wipe off the excess after 15 minutes; she may not experience pain for an hour at least.

I am a 26-year-old virgin. Recently, I was trying to have sex with my partner but when I pulled back my foreskin, it hurt me. I thought it might help if I put on a condom. But the inside of my foreskin hurts even if a condom touches it. Even touching it with a finger hurts. I am worried. Do I have a disability? Is sex really pleasurable? 

If you have a tight foreskin, you will experience pain when it’s stretched. I think you also experience pain when the head of the penis is touched. This is because the head contains pleasure nerves; when stimulated at times, the pleasure is so intense that it hurts.

I am 28 years old. I went to a pathology lab for an HIV test. The technician said the result would be evident only 10 years later, and not reflect in my blood test right now. Is this true?

I think you have misunderstood him. What he probably meant was that the HIV virus weakens the body defences and this may take 10 years or more for symptoms of AIDS to appear. The new tests reliably show whether your exposure has infected you with the HIV virus. They show the antibodies that start fighting the virus if you are infected.

I am 21 years old. For four years, I’ve been experiencing a strong itch under my testicles. I think it is fungus because when I scratch, a white layer of dead skin gets scraped. I feel uncomfortable to visit a doctor. Please help.

When do you think is the right time to visit the doctor and have it treated? Continue to feel uncomfortable unless you pick up courage.

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